In a preview of the 2011 NHL Winter Classic game, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 in a
shootout and if you’re a hockey fan, you have to love what you saw last night. The game was a battle until it ended on a Pascal Dupuis wrist shot in the 7th round of the shootout.
This was just one of those games when two teams of high caliber talent, played beyond their abilities. “We competed to the max,” said Mike Greenafterwards. In overtime, it was Green who darted toward the middle of the Penguins zone, stickhandling around Kris Letang who fell to the ice, expecting a shot.
With Letang down, Green had a clear lane to the net and took a shot on Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fluery that would go upstairs for review. The no goal call was upheld and after the game Green said he was “one hundred percent” sure the puck went in. Click here to see the play. Goal or not?
Regardless the Penguins picked up two more points and Sidney Crosby extended his scoring streak to twenty-three games with a multi-point game.
The 2011 Winter Classic is scheduled for New Year’s Day and you couldn’t have asked better set-up then this:
- Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin, who won three MVP’s in a row, is the better sniper, but Crosby, the NHL leading goal scorer last season, is a better all-around player.
- Bruce Boudreau called this 3-2 SO loss Mike Green’s best game. Green was the Capitals best defender and played physical, laying out eight hits.
- Verizon Center was louder than I’ve heard it all season as indicated by a post game comment. “It felt like a playoff game, I think that’s why our spirit was up and our energy was up. When fans bring a lot of energy it creates us to play better. I wish it was like that every night.”
Well, expect it to be the same on Pittsburgh’s outdoor ice on January 1st when they drop the puck in the 2011 Winter Classic. . . . it can’t come soon enough.
Used with permission of the author.
Based in Washington, Michael Hoffman has covered D.C. sports for numerous publications. In addition to contributing to Sports Climax, he is currently the Washington Capitals and Washington Redskins columnist for Examiner.com.
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